The Unseen Future
by ChaoticByDesign
Summary: When your entire life gets turned upside down, building a new one is never simple.    Dragon Age II, post game. Female mage Hawke & Fenris centric story
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: The Dragon Age universe belongs to Bioware, along with all recognizable characters._**

**_This is my version of the events that follow the ending of Dragon Age II with a female mage Hawke in a romance with Fenris. Some liberties will be taken, but I have tried to stay true to the characters and settings. __The first chapter doesn't feature any Hawke/Fenris interaction, but it's coming, I promise! Future chapters will contain mature romantic content. This is my first attempt at fan fiction, so all comments and critiques are welcome. Thank you for reading!_**

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><p>"Maker's breath, Hawke, what do we do now?"<p>

Madison Hawke glanced over at Varric when the dwarf spoke, taking in the worried expression on his normally jovial face. Glancing to her other companions, she saw the same worry reflected in all of their eyes as they looked to her for guidance. She couldn't blame them. Orsino was dead. Meredith was dead. The Chantry was nothing but rubble and the Gallows were painted red with the blood of mages and Templars alike. The senselessness of it all weighed on Hawke like lead weights, but she couldn't afford to let it show. By coincidence or by fate, she had become the leader of this group and, as such, she had to be the one to make the hard choices and shoulder the heaviest burdens so her friends wouldn't have to. Touching Varric's shoulder reassuringly, her expression and voice were calm when she spoke.

"We have to leave Kirkwall. Tonight." She held up a hand to stall the chorus of protests from her companions. "I don't like it anymore than any of you do, but we don't have a choice. Once the citizens of this city stop reeling in shock, they will be out for blood. Someone is going to have to answer for what happened here and since the real villains are all dead, we will be the most convenient target for their wrath."

"But that's just wrong!" Merrill protested, her eyes wide with indignation. "This isn't our fault! Just because we were here doesn't mean..."

Shaking her head, Isabella gently interrupted Merrill's rant. "It's not about what's right or what's fair, kitten. It's about finding someone to blame." The pirate's eyes turned to Madison. "I can have my ship ready to sail in an hour."

Hawke nodded, grateful before speaking firmly to her gathered companions. "Return to your homes, gather anything you can't bear to leave behind. We will all meet at the Docks in an hour."

As her friends quickly dispersed, Hawke turned to head toward Hightown, but was stopped by Sebastian's gentle hand on her arm. "Hawke."

Looking up into the prince's earnest face, Madison could see the conflicting emotions in his blue eyes and it made her smile sadly. He was a good man and a good friend and she know that, if she asked him, he would follow her from Kirkwall without hesitation. A small selfish part of her wanted to do just that, but her conscience wouldn't allow her to ask him to choose between his loyalty to her and his duty to Starkhaven.

"It's all right, Sebastian. Go." She said before he could speak again. "Starkhaven needs you and I had no illusions that you would be willing to follow me around forever."

"May the Maker bless you and guide you." Sebastian clasped her shoulders gently and placed a chaste, brotherly kiss to her forehead. "It has been my honor to fight at your side."

"The honor was mine, Sebastian."

Hawke replied as she hugged him briefly, her throat tightening and her eyes burning with tears she would not allow herself to shed. Only once he had walked away, leaving her alone on the dark street, did she feel the warm wet trace of a single tear rolling down her cheek. Wiping it away hastily, she forced herself to calm before hurrying toward Hightown.

"Bodahn!" She called loudly for the dwarf as she crossed the threshold into the foyer of her estate. "Pack your things and help Sandal and Orana do the same. We're leaving. Now."

"Messere…" Bodahn's voice trailed off as he came around a corner to meet her, his face drawn with sorrow. "Orana was…" The dwarf's voice cracked and he cleared his throat. "She was at the Chantry this evening."

No other explanation was necessary and Hawke closed her eyes, feeling as if someone had punched her in the gut. Orana had been more than just a servant, she had been a friend. The blonde elf had been so frightened and unsure when she had first come to the Hawke estate after being freed from slavery, but time and working for a kind mistress had brought her out of her shell. She had become a delightful young woman that loved to play her lute and spent her free time volunteering at the Chantry, helping to pass out food and clothing to the orphans and the homeless. Now she was gone, one of hundreds of innocent lives that had been taken by the fanatical actions of spirit possessed mage.

_Maker curse you, Anders!_

Madison thought to herself, feeling the hurt anger boil up again over his betrayal. An apostate herself, she had sympathized with his cause of wanting to see mages free from Templar control, but she had disagreed with his often violent tactics for trying to achieve that freedom. However, she never would have believed him capable of killing hundreds of innocent people by blowing up the Chantry. The rogue mage had paid for his crime with his life, but that did little to ease the pain of loss that Hawke and so many others felt at losing someone they cared about. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Madison opened her eyes and put a gentle hand on Bodahn's shoulder.

"There will be time to mourn her later. We can't linger here. Isabella's ship will be ready to sail in less than an hour."

"Do you think you will ever return to Kirkwall, Messere?" When Hawke sighed and shook her head sadly, Bodahn nodded. "Then if you will allow it, my boy and I will stay behind to put your affairs in order. Once you settle somewhere, you can send word and we will forward the profits from the sale of your home."

"I can't ask you to do that." Madison frowned. "The templars..."

The dwarf cut her off. "The Templars will not look twice at a pair of abandoned dwarven servants who know nothing of your whereabouts and are seeking only to gain enough profits to start a new life by selling off the home their mistress left behind."

Bodahn smiled slyly and Madison hugged him abruptly, touched by his loyalty and willingness to lie for her. "When it is safe, I hope you and Sandal will come and join me… not as servants, but as treasured friends."

"Perhaps we will, Messere." Bodahn replied, clearly surprised by her embrace, but touched by her words. "Perhaps we will."

Feeling tears threaten again, Hawke released him before sprinting up the stairs to her room. She didn't know how much time she had before the Templars regrouped and came knocking at her door, but there were a few things she couldn't bear to leave behind. Her mother's locket was clasped carefully around her neck before she shoved several changes of clothes and a few personal letters, gifts and mementoes from her friends and companions into a backpack.

Slinging the first pack over her shoulder, she grabbed a second backpack before moving quickly into the library. In the time since she had taught him to read, Fenris had discovered several books he enjoyed and she shoved those volumes, along with a couple of her own favorites, into the empty pack. Two backpacks of items out of an entire estate of belongings… it almost seemed like a cruel joke, but circumstances forced her to travel light. Trotting downstairs, she whistled for her faithful mabari hound, Khan.

"Come on boy. It's time to go." Khan whined softly in reply, his ears drooping and Madison patted his head. "I know. I don't want to leave either, but I bet Isabella's ship will have a few rats you can chase."

The mabari barked once, a delighted sound, and Hawke chuckled. Khan was smarter than some people she had met, but he was still a dog and sometimes amused by the simple things. As she moved into the foyer, however, her amusement faded at the sight of Bodahn and Sandal waiting by the door. Madison hoped with all her heart that the pair of dwarves would find her again once all the madness had passed, but there was no guarantee. As such, the hugs she gave each of them were perhaps longer than necessary and she didn't even bother to try and hide the tears that rolled down her face.

"May the Maker watch over you both." She said as she straightened, but before she could step toward the door, Sandal pulled a rune from his pocket and held it out to her.

"You like the shiny?"

Sandal, despite his simple mind, had always had a knack for creating some of the most impressive magical runes she had ever seen. As she took the small, smooth stone, however, Madison could feel the power that hummed within it and couldn't help but wonder if the young dwarf had outdone himself with this one.

"It's beautiful, Sandal. Thank you."

"Be safe, Messare."

Bodahn said and Hawke nodded, wiping another tear from her face before leaving her Kirkwall estate for the last time. With Khan at her side, Madison moved quickly through the darkened streets of the city, using the many shadows to avoid the various groups of citizens and Templars that she encountered on her way to the Docks.

"Is everyone on board?" She asked Isabella as she boarded the pirate's ship.

"Yes. We were just waiting on you."

"Then let's go."

As Isabella headed toward the wheel and Khan trotted off in search of rats, Hawke moved to the railing and watched in silence as the ship began to pull away from the Docks. As the lights of Kirkwall faded into the distance, Madison sighed and bowed her head, wondering how things had gone so horribly wrong. Varric's earlier question echoed in her mind again, but this time, she didn't have an answer.

_What do we do now?_


	2. Chapter 2

Hawke wasn't sure how long she stood at the railing, staring off into the darkness toward Kirkwall even though the city had long since been swallowed by distance and shadow. Dawn would be breaking soon and even though she was exhausted, she couldn't bring herself to go below deck. She just wasn't ready to face her companions or the inevitable questions in their eyes that she did not have an answer for.

_Coward. _She berated herself mentally. _You've faced down hordes of darkspawn, blood mages, demons and even a few dragons, but you can't look your friends in the eye and tell them that you don't have a plan._

Her cowardice shamed her, but she still didn't move. Finally, however, someone came to her… although it wasn't who she would have expected.

"Do you think Gamlen is still alive?" Carver asked as he came to stand beside her at the railing, his eyes following her gaze to the same distant spot on the dark horizon.

"Gamlen left with Charade more than a week ago. The atmosphere in Kirkwall was becoming more and more volatile, so they decided to take a trip to Orlais." Madison replied without shifting her gaze off the horizon. "They were supposed to come back next month, but I will have to send word that Kirkwall is no longer safe."

"Charade?" Her brother asked, looking at her in confusion. "Please tell me Gamlen didn't find a girlfriend while I was away with the Grey Wardens. That's just too disgusting to consider and I really don't need _those_mental images."

Hawke couldn't help it, she laughed at her brother's horrified tone, finally turning her eyes to him. "No. Charade is his daughter. Apparently, Gamlen used to be married to a woman named Mara, but she left him before Charade was born. He didn't even know he had a daughter until she showed up a few months ago."

"Gamlen? Married? And a father?" Carver shook his head with a bewildered expression. "I really have missed a lot since I've been gone."

"I would have written, but I didn't know where you were." Madison replied apologetically, hesitating a moment before speaking again. "And honestly? I wasn't sure you wanted to hear from me."

"For a long time, I didn't." Her brother admitted honestly, sighing softly. "I was young and foolish, too full of selfish pride to see things clearly. Joining the Grey Wardens gave me purpose and it made me grow up. I see you for who you are now... someone whose only motivation was to keep her friends and family safe." Carver smiled faintly. "You deserved better than the way I treated you. Do you think you will ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, Carver." She shook her head with a faint smile. "You are my brother. I've never been able to stay mad at you for long... no matter how much of a pain in the ass you were."

The last part was said with a wicked grin and her brother laughed before they both fell into a companionable silence, looking out over the water again. Madison had been at odds with Carver almost from the day he was born, so to see him so relaxed and at ease in her presence was more than a little surreal, but she wouldn't have traded this moment for the world. She was proud of the man he had become, but when she told him as much, he only smiled self-consciously before changing the subject.

"So... you and Fenris, huh?" He chuckled when she blushed. "Can't say I saw that one coming, especially considering how he feels about mages."

"I know." She admitted, her cheeks still warm. "Trust me when I say it wasn't something he or I expected either. Maker knows it hasn't been easy, but I can't imagine myself with anyone else."

"I can't say I understand, but I trust your judgment, sister." Carver smiled before bumping her with his shoulder. "Now go get some rest. You look like you're about to fall over."

Madison couldn't argue with that logic. She was weary to the bone, but she wasn't sure her overactive thoughts would allow her to sleep just yet. Still, it didn't hurt to try. Heading below deck, she made her way to the crew quarters, thankfully encountering no one except for Khan, who was sitting protectively in front of a closed door at the end of the narrow hallway. Her backpacks had been brought down by a member of Isabella's crew and even though they were in no real danger of being stolen, the mabari still took his duty of protecting her belongings very seriously.

"Good boy."

She said with a smile, patting his head affectionately before slipping inside her quarters. A single lantern, hung securely from a hook on the wall, bathed the small room in a soft golden glow, casting Fenris' lyrium markings into even starker contrast against his dusky skin. His armor had been put away and he was dressed in only a simple black tunic and breeches, seeming almost relaxed as he reclined on the bed with a book in his lap. Frowning in concentration, his finger traced along the page and his lips moved silently as he followed the printed words. Her arrival, however, made him look up, his verdant green eyes studying her intently for a moment before he closed the book, setting it aside as he rose to his feet.

"Have you been here since we left the Docks?" Hawke asked after several moments of silence had ticked by.

Fenris nodded, his expression unreadable as he studied her face. "You seemed like you wanted to be alone."

"I did. I needed some time to think."

She admitted honestly, but when the elf nodded and moved toward the door as if to leave, she reached out and caught his wrist in a gentle grip. Because of what he had endured as a slave, being touched unexpectedly, even by her, still made Fenris flinch, but he didn't try to pull away as his eyes turned back to her, his gaze questioning and uncertain. The open sincerity in his eyes proved to be her undoing and Hawke felt the fragile composure she had been holding onto crumble.

"Don't go, Fenris. Please." Her voice was a whisper, a rare vulnerability in her tone as her blue eyes filled with tears. "I need you."

Wordlessly, he drew her into his arms and Madison sagged against him, a strangled sob escaping her as all the painful emotions she had kept at bay finally overwhelmed her. Burying her face against his neck, she cried for everything she had lost and for everyone she had failed, her entire body trembling under the weight of her sorrow.

Seeming to understand that words meant little right now, Fenris said nothing, letting his touch speak for him as his hand moved in a slow soothing pattern over her back. It was a long time before Hawke's tears ran out, but finally she took a shuddering breath and lifted her head, wiping her cheeks with hands that still weren't quite steady.

"I'm sorry for turning into a blubbering idiot." Another deep, calming breath. "It's… been a hard day."

That could be the understatement of the year, but he seemed to understand. "You owe me no apology." His fingers brushed an errant lock of her raven hair from her face as his eyes searched hers. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She answered immediately, then smiled ruefully when he arched a doubtful eyebrow at her. "Ok, maybe not fine, but I'm not going to have another breakdown anytime soon, so I guess that's an improvement."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Hawke was silent for a long time as she tried to put her chaotic thoughts into some semblance of order. She didn't really want to talk about the thoughts running rampant in her head, but she suspected she _needed_ to speak them aloud to someone or they might just drive her mad. Finally, she sighed.

"Orana was at the Chantry tonight when…"

She couldn't bring herself to complete the sentence and she saw Fenris flinch in shock. He hadn't spent much time around Orana, likely because she reminded him too much of his past, but he had seemed to respect what Hawke was trying to do for the young elf woman.

"I'm sorry. I know you cared for her."

His words were sincere, but Madison shook her head as she extracted herself from his arms, suddenly restless. As much as the loss of Orana hurt, that pain had little to do with Hawke's agitation. The small room was only five paces across, but she walked the length of it like a caged animal, silent for several moments until her guilt and her anger finally found words.

"I failed her, Fenris." Her voice was bitter with self-directed anger. "I failed her because I was too naïve to see how dangerous and unstable Anders truly was. If it weren't for me, she might still be alive… along with the Grand Cleric and all the others."

"You are a woman of many talents, Hawke, but there's no way you could have predicted what Anders would do."

"I helped him collect the ingredients for the bomb." Madison said softly and sighed when she saw Fenris recoil from her words. Pacing again, she couldn't look at him as she continued. "Anders told me they were for a potion that could separate him from Justice… and I _believed _him. How could I have been so _stupid_?"

"Hawke…"

Fenris' voice was cautious when he said her name and Madison frowned when she took in his uncomfortable expression. Following his gaze, she looked down at her hands and blinked in surprise when she saw them engulfed in flame. She had been a teenager the last time her emotions had gotten the better of her to the point of making her lose control of her magic. It was unsettling to think that her emotions had made her that unstable. Taking a deep breath, she banished the flames and was silent for several moments before she met her lover's eyes with a steely resolve.

"Promise me something… if I ever resort to blood magic or consort with a demon, I want you to kill me."

For a moment, he only stared at her in shock before he seemed to find his voice, his expression horrified. "Why would you ask me such, after everything we have shared?"

"Please, Fenris. I know I am asking more of you than is right or is fair, but I cannot bear the thought of turning into someone like Anders… or Danarius."

"You won't." Fenris replied, stepping forward and cupping her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Do you think I would have given you my heart if I thought such a thing was even remotely possible? You have a good and pure soul, Hawke. I am more likely to take vows and become a Chantry priest than you are to become a blood mage or an abomination."

The idea of Fenris dressed in Chantry robes, listening to the prayers of the faithful, was so ludicrous that it broke through her guilt and her anger, causing surprised laughter to bubble from Madison's lips before she embraced the elf tightly.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much your trust means to me."

"You are welcome."

Chuckling again, Madison's voice became amused as she pulled back just enough to meet his eyes again. "Just swear to me you won't seek to become a Chantry priest. It would make things very awkward between us if you suddenly took a vow of chastity."

"Oh? Would it?"

Fenris replied, his eyes alight with mischief as he bent his head to brush his lips against the sensitive skin of her neck just below her ear. Closing her eyes, Hawke leaned her head back, giving him better access as a ripple of desire trembled through her form.

"Yes." She replied breathlessly, closing her eyes as his lips left a burning trail along her jawline. "Definitely awkward."

No more words were spoken after that as Fenris claimed his mouth for his own. Despite her exhaustion, Hawke didn't fight him, a small sound of want escaping her as he pulled her closer. Without his armor, she could feel the heat of his body against the entire length of her and her own body warmed in response, her heart racing.

His fingers slipped into her hair as she broke contact with his mouth, a whisper soft moan falling from his lips as she kissed her way down his neck, her hands slipping under his tunic to trace the taut lines of his leanly muscular torso. She felt a tremor run through him at her touch before he abruptly pulled the tunic up and over his head, tossing it aside impatiently.

"Hawke…"

Her name was whispered almost like a prayer before he kissed her again, pinning her against the wall with his body as his tongue explored her mouth. As his hands went to the ties for her robes, however, a sharp knock came at the door, making them both flinch and look to the door in annoyance.

"Hawke? I need to talk to you."

Isabella's voice called from the other side of the door and Madison sighed with exaggerated irritation, which drew a soft chuckle from Fenris. Releasing her, the elf took a step back and allowed her to move toward the door, which she opened just enough to peer out at the pirate.

"I'm sorry to interrupt..." Isabella grinned in amusement. "…but now that we're safely away from Kirkwall, I need to know where we're _going."_

"Gather everyone on deck. We will need to make that decision together." Hawke replied before arching an eyebrow. "And how do you know you were interrupting anything?"

"This is a sturdy ship, Hawke, but the walls and doors don't do shit for muffling sounds." When Madison blushed, Isabella's grin turned wicked. "Still, I have to admit, Aveline and Donnic were louder."

"I…" Hawke's face was absolutely crimson now as words failed her completely.

"I'll see you on deck." Isabella said, chuckling to herself as she headed back down the hallway, leaving the couple looking at each other with matching expressions of embarrassed amusement.

Finally, Hawke chuckled. "Well that was…"

"Awkward." Fenris finished for her, chuckling as well as he pulled his tunic back on. "Come on. Everyone will be waiting."


	3. Chapter 3

**I want to start off by thanking rebekka99 and fanglickingood for their kind reviews. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to read my story.'**

**This chapter is more conversation centered than anything else, but it serves as a transition point for Hawke leaving her old life behind and starting a new one with Fenris, so bear with me.**

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><p>Dawn was breaking as Hawke and Fenris made their way up onto the deck of the ship where the rest of their companions were waiting. Everyone was clearly weary, but the warm light of the sun had put hope back into everyone's eyes, the promise of a new day making the horrors of last night easier to shoulder. Smiling, Madison met each person's gaze in turn, but she couldn't help but chuckle when she saw a bottle of what she presumed was whiskey being passed between Isabella and Varric.<p>

"Drinking already? You haven't even had breakfast."

"True, but we're alive and not in Templar custody." Varric replied after taking another swig of the alcohol. "It seemed like a good reason to celebrate."

"I'll drink to that."

Hawke replied, taking the bottle from him and tipping it back against her lips. The burn of the whiskey was immediate in her throat, reminding her that she was indeed still alive, as were they all. Coughing slightly, she handed the bottle back to Varric.

"Where did you get that rotgut?"

"Where else?" He grinned. "I stole it from the Hanged Man."

"Varric…" Aveline sighed in disapproval from where she stood nearby, but the dwarf just shrugged.

"What? I wanted something to remember the place by. It's not like we'll be going back."

"Varric is right." Madison interjected before Aveline could begin to lecture the dwarf about stealing. "We can't go back to Kirkwall. My plan is to head for Denerim, but I don't expect all of you to come with me. You are my closest friends and I would certainly welcome your company, but your lives have been intertwined with mine for more than six years. You each deserve the chance to have your own adventures rather than being caught up in mine."

As it turned out, a couple of her companions already had destinations in mind. Carver had orders to join the Grey Wardens in Amaranthine and Aveline and Donnic planned to return to the city in Orlais where they had spent their honeymoon, hoping to build a new life and maybe even start a family. When Hawke's eyes turned questioningly to Fenris, seeking his imput, he surprised her by taking her hand and entwining their fingers in a rare show of public affection before speaking quiet words.

"My place is at your side, for as long as you allow me to remain."

"Ugh. Stop it. You two are so sweet it gives me a toothache." Varric rolled his eyes. "Even so, I think I'll come with you to Denerim. You're bound to get yourself into some kind of trouble and when I tell the tale, I want to be able to say I saw it happen first-hand."

"I'm hoping that this time around, I won't be providing you with so much inspiration for your stories." Madison chuckled wryly. "Living a quiet, normal life would be a welcome change."

"Not possible." The dwarf shook his head. "Extraordinary people don't live quiet lives… besides, you'd get bored."

"I don't know where I'll go." Isabella mused when the conversation lulled, rolled her eyes in mock annoyance when Hawke chuckled. "What? You know I don't plan that far ahead. Besides, it looks like I'm going to be busy ferrying everyone to their various destinations."

"Oh come off it, Isabella. Up until now, you've barely spent any time on your new ship, so I don't buy you being annoyed at actually having to stay at sea for a while."

"Shush. Don't bother me with your logic."

The pirate waved off Hawke's words with a grin and with that, the group began to disperse, heading back to their quarters below deck for some much needed rest. Madison started to follow suit, but paused when she noticed that Merrill had taken up a position near the bow of the ship, looking out over the railing with a lost and forlorn expression.

"Go ahead back to our room. I will join you soon." Hawke told Fenris, squeezing his hand gently before walking over to the female elf. ""Are you all right, Merrill?"

"What?" Merrill seemed momentarily startled by the question before she nodded. "Oh. Yes, I'm fine. I just... have a lot on my mind."

"Something I can help with?"

"No. I mean yes. Maybe?" The other woman sighed, flustered. "I'm saying things all wrong again. I guess I was just hoping you would allow me to come with you to Denerim, maybe make me your apprentice."

"Why my apprentice?" Hawke asked, confused. "You are as powerful of a mage as I am."

"No, I'm not. Not on my own anyway. I've always had to rely on blood magic for the more difficult spells… but I'm giving it up."

Having clashed with Merrill on several occasions over her use of blood magic, Hawke was surprised by the other woman's statement, but she nodded her approval. "I'm glad to hear that Merrill, but what changed your mind?"

The elf sighed, her head slightly bowed. "Keeper Marethari and Anders are dead, either directly or indirectly, because of spirits and demons of the Fade. I do not want to share that fate."

"I understand." Madison smiled, touching her friend on the shoulder. "You are more than welcome to come with me to Denerim and I'll be happy to teach you anything I can."

"You will? Oh thank you, Lethallan!" Merrill cried joyfully, nearly knocking Hawke down with the exuberance of her embrace.

When Madison returned to her quarters a short time later, she found Fenris already asleep, but he stirred when she joined him on the bed. Rolling onto his side, he pulled her close, their limbs comfortably intertwined and their foreheads touching slightly.

"Merrill is coming with us to Denerim." She said softly, seeing the question in his eyes.

"Are you certain that's wise?" Because of her use of blood magic, Fenris had never liked Merrill and made no secret of it.

"She has nowhere else to go and she wants me to teach her. She's giving up blood magic."

"Truly?" He blinked in surprise. "I… did not expect that."

"Neither did I, but what happened to Keeper Marethari and Anders really shook her up. It finally made her realize the dangers inherent in dealing with spirits of the Fade."

"Better late than never, I suppose." Fenris replied, his fingers threading through her hair absently. "I am glad something good came of all this madness."

"You're forgetting the other good thing that has come from all this." Hawke said, smiling when he lifted a brow curiously. "Us. If it weren't for the madness of the Blight, I would have never come to Kirkwall and if it weren't for the madness that was Kirkwall, I never would have met you."

"Then perhaps I should send the darkspawn a thank you note."

Fenris' sense of humor was so dry that it always managed to catch Hawke off guard and she laughed merrily at his words before curling against him again with her head resting on his chest. There was peace to be found in the warmth of his arms around her and the sound of his heartbeat in her ear and it wasn't long before her exhaustion caught up with her and dragged her down into a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

By the time Isabella's ship reached Denerim, Hawke had never been so glad to see dry land in her life. A fierce storm had blown in not long after they had dropped Carver off at Amaranthine and the ship had been tossed about on massive white capped waves for days. All of her companions had endured the bad weather with tight lipped discomfort, but Madison, much to her own humiliation, had spent the majority of her time either hanging over the railing losing whatever meal she had managed to choke down or curled up in her bunk while her stomach rolled in sync with the sea.

It had all been rather undignified and Isabella had taken great delight in giving her a hard time about it until Hawke had used a just a trickle of magic to send a tiny bolt of electricity into the pirate's rear end. Aveline had been right when she called the action childish and totally unbecoming the Champion of Kirkwall, but Fenris had laughed outright. Such shows of public amusement were rare from the elf and the mirth she saw in his eyes was well worth the price of a scolding from Aveline.

"Do you think you stay in Denerim permanently?" Aveline asked as Madison as the ship approached the docks.

"I don't know. That will depend on King Alistair. When he came to Kirkwall, he said that I was always welcome to come home and that Ferelden could use someone like me, but a lot has happened since then."

"Will you seek an audience with him?" The former Guard-Captain asked and Hawke nodded.

"I feel it's best not to delay. The news and rumors of what happened in Kirkwall will travel fast. I'd prefer he hear the truth of it directly from me."

"Good luck, Hawke." Aveline smiled before embracing her. "It's been an honor."

"The honor was mine, Aveline." Madison replied before pitching her voice low. "You've got a long trip to Orlais ahead of you. I know you and Isabella have never really gotten along, but try not to strangle her along the way."

"I make no promises." The other woman replied with good humor and Hawke chuckled before looking to Aveline's husband.

"Take care of her Donnic. I hope the Maker blesses you both with several red-headed children."

"As do I, Serah Hawke." He smiled. "Farewell."

"Ok, enough with all the mushy stuff." Isabella interjected as her crew lowered the gangplank. "I want to get back out on the sea before midday."

Hawke chuckled and rolled her eyes, but took no offense to the pirate's brusque tone, knowing it was a defense mechanism. Isabella had never been particularly good with expressing her emotions, so having to say goodbye to someone she considered a friend was undoubtedly making her uncomfortable. Hefting her packs up onto her shoulders, Madison grinned at the pirate.

"Try not to get into too much trouble without me, Isabella."

"Who? Me? Never. Oh.. and Hawke?" With a wink, Isabella planted a kiss right on Madison's lips. "Give that to Alistair for me."

"I don't think the Queen would appreciate that, nor would Fenris for that matter."

"Spoilsport."

Laughing, Madison walked down the gangplank and stood on the dock with Fenris, Varric and Merrill. As they watched Isabella's ship sail off into the distance, she was struck again by the realization that her life was never going to be the same. Her life in Kirkwall was over, Mother and Bethany were gone, Carver was immersed in his duty as a Grey Warden and half of her friends were scattering across Thedas. It was a somber thought, but before she could be drawn into melancholy, Varric's voice split the silence.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink. Where's the nearest tavern?"

"Some things never change." Hawke chuckled before they all set off into the city.

Some hours and several tankards of ale later, Madison stumbled out of The Gnawed Noble Tavern with her hand on Varric's shoulder as they sang a bawdy drinking song with slurred voices. Getting completely and utterly drunk hadn't been her original plan when she had gone into the tavern, but when the dwarf had bet four sovereigns that she couldn't beat him at a drinking game, she was unable to back down from the challenge. So Merril and Fenris had watched, bemused, as Hawke and Varric drank themselves into idiocy.

"Hawke… I have to tell you something." Varric looked up at her blearily after they finished the song. "You're a terrible singer."

Madison gasped as if wounded, then ruined it by snickering. "Varric! What a horrible thing to say. I thought you loved me."

"Nope. That's the elf's job." The dwarf jabbed his thumb in Fenris' general direction.

"Come on Varric." Merill interjected before Hawke could retort. "I found an inn down this way. I've already rented you a room."

"They would make a cute couple." Madison mused as she watched the pair leave and Fenris chuckled.

"Varric and Merrill? That's just… disturbing."

"You want to hear what's even more disturbing than that?" Her gaze swung to the elf unsteadily. "Carver and Isabella. I overheard them talking before he got off the ship. She plans to visit him in Amaranthine. My little brother… with her. Those are mental images I _really_ don't need."

She shuddered in an exaggerated fashion and the motion threw off her already precarious balance, sending her stumbling into Fenris and it was only his quick reflexes that kept them both from toppling to the ground. Instead, she ended up pressed chest to chest with him, his arms looped around her waist to keep her upright.

"Hi there, handsome." She smiled slyly, or rather made an inebriated attempt at sly.

"You're drunk." He chuckled, then sucked in a soft hiss of air through his teeth as her lips gazed his ear.

"Maybe." Even in her drunken state, she relished the tremor that went through him as she trailed kisses across his jaw and down his neck.

"Hawke." Her name was almost a groan before he took her by the shoulders and held her back slightly. "Stop."

"Why?" She pouted slightly, frowning.

"Because the amount of alcohol you've had is enough to likely rob you of your memories… and when we make love, I want you to remember it."

His gaze was intense and she shivered at the heat in it before nodding numbly and allowing him to lead her back to the inn where Merrill had rented rooms for everyone. On the way, she began forming an elaborate plan on how to seduce the elf once they got to the privacy of their room, but she never got to put it into action, as she passed out almost as soon as they got there.

The next morning, Hawke opened her eyes and immediately wished she hadn't, as the sun streaming through the nearby window took the ache in her head and turned it into throbbing agony. Add to that her rolling stomach and the sour taste in her mouth and she found herself wishing for unconsciousness again.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Fenris sounded amused and she leveled a half hearted glare his way.

"Like hammered nug shit." She stifled a groan as she forced herself to sit up in the bed, shielding her aching eyes with one hand. "Could you pull the curtains before I go blind or my head explodes?"

Chuckling, the elf pulled the curtains to shield her from the painful rays of the sun before coming to sit on the edge of the bed with a steaming mug in his hands. "Here. Drink this."

"What is it?" She asked doubtfully as she took the mug from him, smelling mint and a mixture of other herbs.

"An herbal tea the innkeeper recommended for settling your stomach and helping with the hangover." Fenris waited until she had taken a sip before speaking again, mirth entering his voice again. "How much do you remember?"

"Enough that I don't intend on repeating the experience anytime soon."

Madison felt her cheeks color as she sorted through her fuzzy memories, recalling how she had made a complete spectacle of herself, first by singing with Varric, then by trying to seduce Fenris in the middle of the street. Thankfully, her lover took pity on her and only smiled, not mentioning any of it outright.

"I had water brought up for a bath, but you slept longer than I expected, so it's probably cold by now."

"That's all right. I can warm it back up again." Finishing her cup of tea, which actually had done wonders for settling her stomach, she set the mug aside before kissing him on the cheek and rising from the bed. "Give me a few minutes to get cleaned up then we should head for the palace."

Fenris nodded. "Should I find Merrill and Varric?"

"No. Let them rest and explore Denerim at their leisure. We'll catch up with them later after we have spoken with King Alistair."

"You're not expecting this meeting to go well, are you?" He asked, seeing a shadow in her eyes.

"No, but what choice do I have?"


	5. Chapter 5

_A special thank you to my reviewers, SpikeDawg45 and Faluvian and as always, my unending gratitude to everyone who is following and reading this story. _

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><p>Denerim was akin to Kirkwall in so many ways it was almost surreal. Nobles walked with the same arrogant air Hawke had become used to seeing in Hightown, their chins held high so that they might look down their noses at the people they passed who they deemed beneath them. In contrast, the poor and the desolate hovered in dark corners and alleys much like they had in Lowtown and Darktown, their desperate eyes searching the faces of people who passed for any shred of compassion or mercy that might be found. It was the children that tugged at Madison's heartstrings the most. Eyes that should have been bright with innocence were instead filled with a listlessness born of having to struggle for survival every minute of every day.<p>

"What will you do if the King refuses to see you?" Fenris asked, drawing her out of her thoughts as they walked the streets toward the palace.

"I'm not going to give him the option of refusing." Madison replied without hesitation. "With any luck, we'll be able to get into the palace and speak to him without having to seek a formal audience."

"And just how do you plan on getting in?"

The elf's voice was curious, but not disbelieving. Maker knew Hawke had managed many impressive things in the time he had known her. Getting into a royal palace without being seen wouldn't even make the top ten.

"When I was young, Mother and Father brought all of us to Denerim for a festival celebrating the official peace treaty between Ferelden and Orlais." Hawke grinned as she recounted the memory. "I got the bright idea of sneaking into the palace gardens and managed to find a small forgotten door that had become obscured by vines and shrubbery. The palace guard caught me before I had even been in the gardens five minutes, but they never could figure out how I got in. I'm hoping the door is still there."

"You have the Maker's own luck, Hawke, so I have no doubt that it will be." Fenris chuckled. "I can't imagine your parents were pleased when the guard brought you back to them."

"Not in the slightest. Mother was absolutely scandalized and I got an hour long lecture from Father about the dangers of drawing attention to myself." She chuckled. "It didn't stop me from trying again the next day. However, I was careful not to get caught a second time."

"Fearless even in your youth, I see."

"One part brave, two parts foolish, perhaps. If the palace guard had found me again and discovered that I was a mage, I would have put my entire family at risk." Hawke replied as they moved along the high wall surrounding the palace. "Ah, here we are."

Pushing aside a heavy curtain of vines, she revealed a small alcove with a worn wooden door that _should_ have looked as if it hadn't been opened in years. However, the rusted hinges had fresh scrapes on them and the door stood slightly ajar, indicating someone had used it very recently. Frowning, Hawke slipped through the opening and pushed through the high shrubs that obscured the door on the other side, embracing her mana as she waited for the running footsteps of palace guards. The royal garden, however, was quiet, which somehow was even more unnerving. Even the birds weren't singing their usual cheerful songs. Strange.

"Come on. Let's try to find the..."

Before she could finish the sentence, a man's sharp cry of pain echoed in the garden, followed by the unmistakable sounds of battle. Giving up all attempts at stealth, Hawke and Fenris ran toward the sound in order to provide aid. The King and Queen were under attack! Suddenly, the already open door that they had used to get inside made a disturbing amount of sense.

As they rounded a corner into a small courtyard, they found King Alistair lying prone upon the cobblestones, bleeding from a chest wound, but Queen Corissa was still upright and furiously angry over what had been done to her husband. Royalty she might be, but she was also a Grey Warden and the Hero of Ferelden and thus not someone to trifle with. The bodies of several dead assassins littering the ground in a rough circle around her told that tale all too well.

"Cowards." She hissed at the remaining men, her eyes narrowed. "Darkspawn have more honor than you."

Standing over the fallen form of her husband, Corissa held a dagger in each hand as she eyed the three assasins circling her with a ferocious expression. With her fierce blue eyes and flowing golden waves of hair, she reminded Madison of a lioness, as dangerous as she was beautiful. Her belly was swollen with child, but she still moved with a surprising amount of grace as she dodged the attack of the next man to rush her, turning and thrusting both daggers into his back before shoving the body aside, all the while never losing her protective stance over the King.

Undoubtedly, the Queen could have taken down the remaining two men with little trouble, but Madison was not one to just stand aside and let another woman fight alone, especially a pregnant queen. Using Crushing Prison, she trapped one man in a painful telekinetic cage before finishing him off with a bolt of lightning while the other man fell just as quickly under Fenris' blade. If Corissa was surprised by their intervention, she didn't show it, watching them take down the remaining assassins with an unreadable expression and her weapons still held at the ready.

"Who are you?" She asked Hawke finally, holding Hawke's gaze steadily and without fear.

"Someone that means you no harm, your Highness."

The Queen considered her words but a moment before speaking again, her tone deadly serious. "The King took a blow that was meant for me. Heal him and I will be more inclined to believe you. Harm him and it will be the last thing you ever do."

Motioning for Fenris to keep his distance, Madison approached Alistair and knelt beside him, wincing when she saw the narrow, but obviously deep puncture wound in his chest that was still bleeding profusely. A couple inches higher and the blade would have pierced his heart. Several long moments passed as she wove healing magic into him, but when she finally sat back, the King's skin was unbroken, marked only by a thin pink scar to show where the wound had once been.

Her daggers clattering to the ground, the Queen knelt beside her husband, her hands gentle on his face as his eyes fluttered open. "You dear, sweet, fool. You almost got yourself killed, do you know that?"

"I couldn't let them hurt you or the baby." Alistair groaned softly as she helped him sit up, his hands fluttering from his wife's face to her arms and down to her swollen belly, checking for wounds. "They didn't , did they? Hurt you?"

"No." She smiled fondly at him, shaking her head. "We're both fine. As are you, thanks in no small part to the timely arrival of this mage and her companion. I apologize for not asking your names."

The last was said with a questioning glance at Madison and Fenris, but it was Alistair who answered after a blink of surprise. "It's Hawke. Madison Hawke, if memory serves. Champion of Kirkwall. I'm afraid I don't know your companion's name."

"Fenris, your Majesty." The elf interjected with a respectful nod, but said nothing more.

"The Champion?" Now it was the Queen's turn to look surprised. "But what are you doing here?"

"That is something of a long story." Hawke replied as they all rose to their feet once more. "A story best told in a more private setting, if you would allow me the courtesy."

"Of course. It is the least we can do after the aid you provided today." Alistair replied before looking to his wife. "Take them to our sitting room. I will join you shortly after I have a conversation with some guards about the meaning of security."

"Don't be too hard on them, Alistair. These are supposed to be our private gardens and you did tell them we wanted to be left alone."

Corissa's smile turned slightly wicked and the King blushed, making him appear very boyish for a moment before he departed. Smiling, the Queen shook her head to herself before leading Madison and Fenris into the palace.

"Alistair is overprotective, but it does concern me that these assassins were able to get within the palace walls so easily." The Queen glanced at her guests and arched an eyebrow. "How did _you_ get in, for that matter?"

"A small door hidden behind some shrubs, your Highness. I suspect it used to be a secret escape route from the palace that has long since been forgotten. I believe that is how the assassins entered as well. The door was already open when we arrived. "

"You will have to show me this door later, so we can take the appropriate steps to secure it." Corissa's expression was thoughtful. "But why did you feel the need to use that door?"

"Please forgive my subterfuge." Madison's tone was deeply apologetic. "I simply couldn't take the chance that the King would refuse to see me."

"Why would he do that?"

Hawke sighed. "The situation in Kirkwall got very complicated and I was at the heart of it. The truth of what happened has already gotten twisted and I wasn't certain how far the rumors had spread."

"I see."

The Queen's eyes were curious and speculative, but she didn't press for details. Such was a conversation to have once Alistair joined them. Pushing open a thick wooden door, she led them into a large and comfortable sitting room which served as an antechamber for the royal quarters. Settling into one of the several comfortable, but ornate chairs arranged near a crackling fireplace, the Queen sighed in relief to be off her feet.

"I never imagined just how uncomfortable pregnancy would be at times. I wouldn't trade this baby for the world, mind you, but I still have to keep reminding myself that I'm not as limber as I used to be."

"Even so, you handled yourself well against those assassins." Fenris replied with a note of respect in his voice as he and Hawke took up seats across from her. "It was impressive, especially given your condition. Although I suppose I should expect no less from the woman who killed an archdemon."

Corissa smiled at the compliment. "Yes, well… it's nice to know I haven't forgotten everything I learned during the Blight."

Further discussion about the Queen's skill was cut off as Alistair arrived, his brow still furrowed from whatever confrontation he'd just had with his guards. Settling down into the chair beside his wife, he sighed wearily before looking to Hawke and getting right to the point.

"So, things must have gone very badly in Kirkwall. I can't imagine you would leave otherwise. So what did Meredith do? Try to lock you in the Gallows? Rename the city after herself?"

Hawke shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Not exactly, your Majesty."

It was more than an hour later before Madison finally fell silent and by that time, every ounce of levity had left the room. She had spared no detail, wanting the King and Queen to understand the full gravity of the situation. The ramifications of what had happened in Kirkwall would spread across Thedas like wildfire and Hawke wanted them to know exactly what they might be up against.

"Maker preserve us." Alistair pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to stave off a headache. "You know, this isn't exactly what I had in mind when I invited you back to Ferelden."

"I know, your Majesty." She replied apologetically. "If you desire it, I will disappear from Denerim and you will never see me again, but I'd prefer to stay and do what I can to show that not all free mages have to be feared."

"The disaster at the Chantry aside, you did a lot of good in Kirkwall and I would be a fool to turn you away. However, I still have the Ferelden Chantry to deal with and once the news of what happened in Kirkwall reaches them, Templars will descend like rain to haul you off to the Tower at Lake Calenhad."

Out of the corner of her eye, Madison saw Fenris flinch almost imperceptibly at the King's words. In the grand scheme of things, she knew his sympathies still tended to lean towards the Templars, but she also knew he would fight to the death to keep her from being locked in the Circle Tower. His expression remained impassive as always, but his lyrium tattoos began to glow softly in response to his emotional agitation.

"Fenris."

She said his name softly, her hand moving to cover his where it had tightened on the arm of his chair. Her touch made him flinch again ever so slightly, but he nodded to the question in her eyes, the glow of lyrium fading.

"Forgive me." He said to the royal couple, who were understandably staring at him with matching expressions of shocked curiosity. "The idea of Hawke being locked in the Circle Tower is… distressing."

"Undoubtedly so." Corissa replied, a new understanding in her eyes as she looked between them. "However, I think there is another option that will satisfy the Chantry, but still allow you the autonomy you seek."

"What did you have in mind?" Madison lifted a brow.

"First Enchanter Irving of the Ferelden Circle recently passed away and Wynne, who had been serving as mage to the royal court, was called back to the Tower to replace him. Her position here has yet to be filled."

"And the Chantry would accept you putting an apostate in that position?" Madison asked, a bit of hope entering her voice as she caught on to the Queen's idea.

"The Grand Cleric will no doubt grumble about it, but given the fact that Alistair was trained as a Templar, she will relent to his wishes."

"You scare me with your brilliance sometimes, do you know that?." Alistair smiled fondly at his wife before looking to Hawke. "There are certain responsibilities that come with the position, of course, and Corissa or I may call upon you to perform tasks for us from time to time, but you would be given quarters here at the palace and would be free to come and go as you please. So, what do you say?"

"It would be an honor to serve you both." Hawke replied with a warm smile, grateful for the option to both serve Ferelden and be free of the Circle of Magi.

"Splendid." The king replied with a smile of his own, but the expression faltered slightly when his gaze shifted to Fenris. "Please forgive me for being blunt, but why in the name of Andraste do your tattoos glow?"

The elf shifted uncomfortably in his seat under the King's gaze, but he answered honestly, having expected the question after how he had reacted to the idea of Hawke being taken to the Circle Tower.

"The markings I bear glow because they are made of lyrium."

"Lyrium?" Alistair frowned thoughtfully. "But lyrium would be absorbed by the body, unless..."

The elf smiled grimly when the King's eyes widened in horrified understanding, finishing his sentence for him. "Unless it was branded into the skin, yes. Tevinter magisters have some very 'interesting' techniques at their disposal."

Everyone knew that slavery was common practice in Tevinter, so further explanation of Fenris' past was not really necessary and a heavy silence fell briefly over the room. It was the Queen who finally broke it, shaking her head sadly as she met the elf's gaze.

"I'm sorry. No one should be forced to endure what you undoubtedly have."

Seeing sympathy in her eyes rather than pity, Fenris smiled faintly. "What's done is done. I would not wish to live through it again, but what I endured led me to the life I now lead and the freedom I now possess. Without the lyrium markings, I would still be a slave."

"I cannot condone the method by which you received them, but your markings are beautiful, in their own way." Shifting in her seat, Corissa leaned forward slightly, extending a hand toward Fenris' arm, but stopping before actually making contact, her expression questioning. "May I?"

Hawke fully expected him to recoil from the Queen, but instead he nodded after only the briefest of hesitations, removing one gauntlet and holding his arm out so she could get a better look at the markings on his skin. As the Queen curiously traced the elegant pattern of lyrium lightly with one fingertip, Madison felt a sudden pang of jealousy. It had taken her _years_ to gain enough trust with Fenris that he would allow her to touch him, but here this woman was, tracing the lines of lyrium after only knowing him for a couple hours.

"Your Majesty?" Madison turned her attention to Alistair, trying to focus on something other than the green eyed monster snarling in her head. "I have two other companions from Kirkwall that I brought to Denerim with me. Would it be too much to ask for them to be allowed to stay in the palace as well? I have been working with them for years, consider them friends and trust them with my life."

"I will see that the necessary arrangements are made so you and your companions have a section of the guest wing to yourself."

"Thank you, your Majesty. I cannot begin to express my gratitude for your acceptance of my presence here." She replied, rising to her feet. "We will not take up any more of your time. I'm sure you and the Queen would like to get back to the important business the assassins and our arrival so rudely interrupted."

The mischievous side of her could not resist the last comment and she was rewarded by Alistair turning a spectacular shade of red while Corissa laughed merrily. The Queen's mirth was so infectious that Hawke couldn't help but grin in reply before she and Fenris showed themselves out. After they were gone, the Queen grinned at her husband.

"Oh, I like her. She reminds me of… well… me."

"I know." Alistair replied with a chuckle. "Maker help us all with both of you in the same city."


	6. Chapter 6

_A special thanks to my reviewers Alaskantiger, Squeeze-the-Fish and RockNRollGirl7548. Your kind words brighten my day._

_And of course, thank you to everyone who is still around, reading my attempts at creative ramblings. You guys rock!_

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><p>"That was… interesting." Fenris remarked musingly as he had Madison made their way out of the palace and back onto the streets of Denerim.<p>

"Yes, it was definitely interesting."

She replied without looking at him, the image of the Queen tracing Fenris' lyrium markings rising again to the forefront of her mind. Hawke tried to keep her tone neutral, but something about the way she had spoken caught the elf's attention and he eyed her with a faint, thoughtful frown.

"The King welcomed you back to Ferelden, even gave you a position of honor. I thought that is what you wanted."

"It is." She glanced over at him and offered what she hoped was a convincing smile. "Things went much better than I expected."

He wasn't buying it. "And yet you are distracted. Unhappy even."

Madison gave up on pretending that everything was fine, but shook her head, not wanting to admit her foolish jealousy aloud. "It's nothing."

Fenris pulled her into the darkened space between two buildings so suddenly that she let out a small sound of surprise, but then he was there, tantalizingly close with arms on either side of her shoulders and palms flat against the wall he had trapped her against.

"Clearly, it is much more than nothing."

Sighing, Hawke relented under the intensity of his gaze. "I was just surprised by how well you and the Queen got along. You normally don't open up to people that quickly. It took me years to gain that kind of trust with you."

"You're jealous." Fenris said disbelievingly, staring at her as if seeing her for the first time.

"Why don't we just forget I said anything?" Hawke felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment, dropping her eyes as she prayed to the Maker that the ground would swallow her whole.

"Do you think me that fickle? I thought I made my feelings for you clear."

The soft, hurt tone to his voice snapped her eyes back to his face and she shook her head firmly, arms curling around his waist to bring him closer. "I do not doubt your devotion, Fenris."

He seemed reassured, but green eyes still searched her face. "Then why?"

Madison chuckled with self-depreciating humor. "Because I'm still a woman and the sight of someone more beautiful than me touching you is enough to make me feel like my head is going to explode. It's not rational. It just is."

"You think I allowed the Queen to touch me because she is beautiful?" Fenris chuckled with amused understanding and shook his head, his hands coming to frame her face. "No, Hawke. I let her touch me because _you're _beautiful."

Madison felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth, but she shook her head in quiet confusion. "I'm afraid you're going to have to explain that one to me."

"You freed me. Not just from Danarius, but from my hatred and self-loathing. You taught me that I can appreciate my markings for what they are and what they allow me to do without approving of the method by which I acquired them. I allowed the Queen to indulge in her curiosity because I'm no longer ashamed of the lyrium that marks my skin. You gave me that peace of mind. _You._ Your physical beauty can and does inspire a man's most intimate fantasies, but it is your purity of heart and strength of spirit that makes any other woman pale in comparison."

"How quickly do you think we can make it back to the inn?" Madison said after a moment of stunned silence and Fenris cocked his head curiously at what seemed like an odd response to his words.

"A few minutes. Why?"

Leaning in close, Hawke's lips brushed against his ear as she spoke in a husky whisper. "Because I suddenly feel the need to rip all of your clothes off."

"You're incorrigible."

Fenris chuckled, but a hand shifted to one of her breasts, squeezing gently as he thumbed her nipple gently through the fabric of her robes. Moaning softly in the back of her throat, Hawke rose up onto her toes to capture his mouth with her own, kissing him with feverish hunger. She might have done more than that, but the sound of running footsteps and a man's angry shout pulled her away from her lover.

"Get back here you filthy brat!"

Hawke she frowned as a scrawny elven boy of no more than seven scurried into the alley with a full grown human male fast on his heels. Perhaps seeing another of his kind as a haven of safety, the boy ducked behind Fenris, clinging to his leg and peering around at his pursuer with wide frightened eyes. The man, for his part, came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Madison and Fenris, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You'd be wise to stay out of this. The boy belongs to me."

"_Belongs_ to you?" Hawke crossed her arms over her chest, frowning. "Isn't slavery _illegal _in Ferelden?"

"He's not a bloody slave! He works for me in my shop!" The shopkeeper blustered, his anger becoming indignant.

"Then I feel sorry for anyone who has the misfortune of working for you." Madison was starting to lose patience, but her voice remained cool and calm. "Do you make a habit of terrorizing your employees?"

"He tried to steal from me! He's lucky I don't turn him over to the city guard. Now stand aside!"

The man reached for the child again with an angry expression, but was stopped by a firm hand catching his wrist. Fenris had remained silent throughout the exchange, but his voice was deadly now when he spoke.

"Touch the boy and you will regret it."

Giving the shopkeeper a little shove, Fenris forced him to step back away from the child, who was still clinging to the elf's leg and sniffling miserably. The man started to step forward again, but stopped in his tracks at the sight of the lightning crackling between Madison's fingertips, settling for angry bitter words instead of violent actions.

"You want to protect boy? Fine. Keep him. Saves me the cost of having to feed and clothe him."

Madison glanced at the elven boy, taking in his dirty face, ragged clothes and scrawny limbs, and then looked back to the shopkeeper with distain, her voice thick with dark sarcasm. "Yes, because clearly you saved no expense in caring for him."

The man scowled, but made no direct reply, settling for angry muttering as he stalked out of the alley back toward his shop. Shaking her head in disgust, Hawke took a deep breath to calm herself before turning and crouching in front of the boy, who had stopped crying and was now staring at her with wide green eyes.

"You're a mage, aren't you?"

Madison nodded, but smiled reassuringly. "Yes, but I'm not going to hurt you. I promise."

The boy looked to Fenris for reassurance and received a nod in reply. The male elf had little experience dealing with children and was clearly uncomfortable with how the boy had latched onto him, but he tried to be kind and even managed a faint smile.

"She speaks the truth. She will not harm you."

"Are you my master now?"

The boy's words were an echo of what Orana had said to her back in that horrid Tevinter slave cavern and the memory of the blond elf sent a small stab of pain into her heart. Even Fenris flinched slightly at the child's choice of phrasing, but Hawke managed a smile and shook her head, her voice gentle.

"No, but I'd like to be your friend. What's your name?"

"Soris."

"It's nice to meet you, Soris. I'm Madison and this is Fenris."

"Can I…?" The child trailed off, fear and longing warring with each other in his eyes before he gave voice to his request, his eyes pleading. "Can I stay with you? My da run off before I was born and mum died last winter from fever. I don't care that you're a shemlen. I'll do anything you want, just don't send me back to the shop. I hate it there."

"I don't know that I'm the best person to care for you." Madison replied honestly, but put a hand on the child's shoulder when his eyes dropped miserably. "But I promise that you can stay with me for now and we'll figure the future out together. How does that sound?"

The young elf threw himself into her arms so suddenly that Madison was almost knocked off balance and she chuckled softly, hugging the boy gently before setting him on his feet. Rising, she took his hand in hers and when Fenris lifted a curious eyebrow at her actions, she simply shrugged with a faint smile. Life took funny twists and turns sometimes. It was easier just to roll with them.

Not long after leaving the alley, the trio came across Varric, Merrill and Khan browsing the wares of the various stall vendors in Denerim's market. Or rather, Merrill was browsing, Khan had his nose to the ground following some scent only he could detect and Varric was squinting in the bright sun, his brow furrowed from the hangover headache he was suffering from.

"Lethallan!" Merrill exclaimed brightly when she saw Hawke. "You must come see the wonderful fabric this man has! I've never seen so many colors. They remind me of a rainbow, or maybe…" She trailed off when she caught sight of Soris, looking momentarily surprised before her usual bubbly personality returned. "Oh. Hello!"

"Merrill, this is Soris." Madison made the introduction with a smile. "Soris, this is Merrill and Varric. They are close friends of mine."

Before either could reply, a happy bark announced that Khan had noticed Hawke's arrival and Soris' eyes went as wide as saucers at the sight of the massive mabari. Sensing the child's fear, Khan slowed his steps and approached as non-threateningly as he could. Soris trembled slightly when the hound began sniffing him curiously, then abruptly giggled when a warm, wet mabari tongue licked his cheek.

"And this is Khan. He's a very good boy and he'd like to be your friend too."

Madison explained and Khan let his tongue loll out in a happy doggy grin. Hesitantly, Soris reached out to pet the hound, his smile growing as the mabari leaned into the gentle scratching of his small fingers. With a happy bark, Khan turned and tugged at the child's sleeve in invitation before leading him in a merry chase through the market.

"Picking up strays, Hawke?" Varric asked with a lifted brow, but his voice was curious rather than condemning.

"He needed someone. I'll figure it out." Madison shrugged. "In the meantime, we need to gather our things from the inn. New accommodations in the palace are being prepared for us."

"The palace?" Varric stared incredulously, then chuckled. "I have to hand it to you, Hawke. You certainly don't do things small."

"Will I get to meet the Queen?" Merrill gushed. "I've always wanted to meet a Queen. And she's the Hero of Ferelden too, how exciting!"

Chuckling, Hawke nodded. "I'll explain everything once we get settled. If the two of you could handle the move, I'd appreciate it. I need to get some things for Soris and then I'll meet you at the palace gates this afternoon."

"Sounds like a plan." Varric nodded. "Come on, Daisy… and keep close this time. I don't need you getting lost again."

"What was that all about?" Fenris asked Madison after Varric and Merrill were gone, his tone curious as he nodded to where Khan and Soris were still chasing one another, the child's laughter a bright sound in the market. "I have seen you give aid to countless orphans and others in need, but it has never gone beyond the coin in your pocket or the magic at your disposal. Why is this boy different?"

"Because he reminded me of you." Hawke replied quietly, thinking of the boy's bright green eyes and the angle of his nose that were so reminiscent of Fenris. "In another world, in another lifetime, he could have been you. You deserved better than the life you had and so does he."

"Just when I think I cannot love you more, you find a way to surprise me." His eyes were intense as they looked into hers and his voice sounded almost awestruck when he spoke.

Smiling warmly, she linked her arm through his, leaning lightly into his shoulder. "That's me. I'm full of surprises. Oh, and Fenris?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too."


End file.
